The Gaps We Need to Close

Everyone talks about opportunity. But opportunity doesn’t build itself — people do. And in Sonora, the people are ready — the pathways aren’t.

We sit next to one of the fastest-growing semiconductor regions in the world. Arizona is scaling fast — fabs, design centers, suppliers. But when it comes to semiconductor entrepreneurship, Sonora is still finding its footing. The talent exists, the curiosity is there — the conditions to turn ideas into startups are not.

If we want founders here to build for the semiconductor world, we need to close four gaps: skills, coordination, capital, and pathways.

TALENT FORMATION AND APPLIED TRAINING

We have smart people, but too few chances to apply what they know. Students learn the theory — not the tools, speed, or standards of the semiconductor industry.

That’s where the gap begins. We need spaces where engineers can work on real design problems, learn modern tools, and collaborate with mentors who’ve been inside the industry. Talent doesn’t grow in a classroom alone — it grows when people build.

INDUSTRI-ACADEMIA COORDINATION

Entrepreneurship in semiconductors doesn’t happen in isolation — it grows where universities and companies work together. In Sonora, that connection is still forming.

Our professors are researching and our industries are expanding — but the bridge between them is still missing. We need shared projects where local talent can solve real problems for semiconductor companies — even small ones. Every successful collaboration plants the seed for a startup.

That’s the role Semicon Desert is here to play: a connector between classrooms and companies, between ideas and demand.

EARLY-STAGE CAPITAL AND RISK APPETITE

Most investors in Sonora haven’t seen a semiconductor startup before — and that’s part of the problem. Without early believers, new founders can’t take their first step.

We don’t need massive funds; we need smart bets — small investments paired with mentorship and visibility. A single local success story could unlock a wave of confidence.

Arizona’s ecosystem can help here — not out of charity, but strategy. A stronger Sonora means more suppliers, more startups, and a more resilient North American supply chain.

TECHNICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PATHWAYS

Right now, for a Sonoran engineer, the visible career options are limited: work in manufacturing, teach, or leave. Starting a company rarely feels like an option — and that’s what we have to change.

We need to build the pathways that make entrepreneurship in semiconductors possible: access to design tools, mentorship, and partners willing to test early solutions. When those pieces exist, founders appear. Because engineers don’t need motivation — they need a way in.

These gaps aren’t a weakness; they’re a blueprint. Each one shows where we can start building.

Sonora doesn’t need to replicate Arizona — it needs to connect with it, fill the gaps that Arizona companies already face, and grow from there. That’s how semiconductor entrepreneurship will take root here: one program, one team, one bridge at a time.

The work has already started. Now it’s time to close the gaps.